Trichlorodioxanethiol s(o, o-dialkyl phosphorodithioate) and pesticides containing the same



TRICHLORODIOXANETHIOL S(0,0-DIALKYL PHOSPHQRODITHIOATE) AND PESTICIDES CONTAINING THE SAME George Allen Buntin, Wilmington, and William R. Diveley, Broolrside Park, Newark, Del., assignors to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application August 30, 1955', Serial No. 531,603

10 Claims. (Cl. 167-33) This invention relates to new and useful organic dithiophosphate compounds and to pesticidal compositions containing the same.

The novel organic dithiophosphate compounds of this invention have the general formula sworn 01 in which each R represents a lower alkyl radical.

These organic dithiophosphate compounds have pesticidal properties and distinguish themselves in being highly toxic at low concentrations toward certain pests.

The organic dithiophosphate compounds of this invention are made by reacting 2,2,3,S-tetrachlorodioxane or 2,2,3,6-tetrachlorodioxane (Butler and Cretcher, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 54, 2987 (1932)) with the desired diester of dithiophosphoric acid, the latter being the product of reaction of an alcohol or a mixture of alcohols of the formula ROH in which R is an alkyl radical of 14 carbon atoms and P285. The diester of dithiophosphoric acid may be reacted directly with the tetrachlorodioxane or it may be reacted in the form of its salt or in the presence of materials which sequester the hydrogen chloride set free in the reaction. The tetrachloro-p-dioxane used is a 2,2,3,5- or 2,2,3,6-tetrachloro-p-dioxane and is not limited to that produced by the Butler et a1. process where other processes are available for production of the individual or mixed isomers.

The methods of making the products of this invention and methods of using the products as pesticides are more particularly described in the following examples in which all parts and percentages are by weight.

Example 1 By chlorination of dioxane at 90 C. until substantially all of the dioxane was converted into 2,3-dichlorodioxane and subsequently chlorinating at l35-140 C. until substantially all of the product was tetrachlorodioxane in accordance with Butler and Cretcher, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 54, 2987, 298990 (1932), there was obtained a liquid product containing some crystalline isomers. The liquid product was purified by filtration to remove crystalline isomers and by subsequent distillation. The liquid product was a mixture of 2,2,3,5- and 2,2,3,6-tetrachlorodioxanes.

To a solution of 7 8 parts of 95.5% diethyl dithiophosphoric acid in 160 parts dry benzene was added 31.6 parts pyridine and then 45.2 parts mixed 2,2,3,5- and 2,23,6- tetrachlorodioxanes dropwise while heating at about 80 C. under reflux. The reaction mixture was refluxed for hours during which time pyridine hydrochloride separated. The resulting product was washed with water to remove pyridine and pyridine salts and then with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution to remove any unreacted acids that might remain, and finally with fresh States Patent 0 2,766,170 Patented Oct. 9, 1956 Water. After drying over anhydrous sodium sulfate, solvent was removed under reduced pressure up to a temperature of C. at 0.5 mm. The residue was a mixture of 2,2,3-trichloro-p-dioxanethiol-S S(0,0-diethyl phosphorodithioate) and 2,2,3-trichloro-p-dioxanethiol-6 S(0,0-diethyl phosphorodithioate) amounting to 28 parts by weight. It analyzed 32.3% chlorine, 15.0% sulfur, and 7.1% phosphorus.

An emulsifiable concentrate of the residue was made by mixing 1 gram of the residue with 1 ml. benzene and 1 ml. sorbitan monolaurate polyoxyalkylene derivative (Tween 20). This concentrate was then diluted with water to form dispersions of the residue in water varying in concentration from 1.0% to 0.025%. The dispersions were then tested for their toxicity to caged insects and to mites not only by spraying the insects but by spraying the plants alone as well for the purpose of determining residual toxicity. Standard test methods were used for obtaining the results set forth below.

When pea aphids were sprayed with a 0.025% emulsion of the composition of this example and placed on pea seedlings sprayed simultaneously with the same emulsion. there resulted 100% mortality in 48 hours.

Activity tests were also run by spraying lima bean seedlings infested with two-spotted mites to run off with 0.5% aqueous emulsion. There resulted 80% mortality to the mites after five days.

A 0.1% dispersion gave an 80% kill of southern army worms in standard tests.

Example 2 2,2,3-trichloro-p-dioxanethiol S-(0,0-dimethyl phosphorodithioate) prepared from the tetrachlorodioxane of Example 1 and dimethyl dithiophosphoric acid following the procedure of Example 1 gave substantially similar strong insecticidal results compared to the product of Example 1.

Example 3 Trichloro p dioxanethiol S (0,0 diisopropyl, phosphorodithioate) prepared from 2,2,3,5-(or 6) tetrachlorodioxane and diisopropyl dithiophosphoric acid following the procedure of Example 1 gave substantially similar strong insecticidal results comparable to those of the product of Example 1 but showed only an 80% kill against pea aphids at 0.05% concentration.

The organic dithiophosphate compounds of the formula s1 0 R 2 c1 are those in which the group is in the 5 or 6 position and in which each R is the same or a different lower alkyl radical such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and isopropyl. The preferred compounds are those containing lower alkyl radicals having 1-4 carbon atoms. The radicals which are especially effective are those with 1-3 carbon atoms in the radical.

In producing the compounds of this invention, the reaction between the 2,2,3,5-tetrachlorodioxane or 2,2,3,6- tetrachlorodioxane and the diester of dithiophosphoric acid or its salt is carried out by heating the two reactants at a temperature at which reaction takes place but below the decomposition temperature in the range of 20 to 200 C., preferably in the range of 30 to C. The reactants may be mixed in any desired order. In order to get complete reaction it is preferable to use an' excess over the theoretical amount of the diester of the dithio phosphoric acid. When the reaction is complete, the excess diester of the dithiophosphoric acid is readily removed by washing with water containing sufiicient alkali to produce the water-soluble salt.

The reaction is preferably carried out in nonaqueous media. Organic solvents are desirable to aid in control o the reaction. Suitable solvents include benzene, toluene, xylene, cyclohexane, hexane, anhydrous alcohol solvents and dioxane. It is preferable to use hydrocarbon solvents when using an amine salt of the dithiophosphoric acid ester or when using an amine or ammonia as a sequestering reagent. After the reaction is complete, the solvent is readily removed by distillation.

When the diester of dithiophosphoric acid is used as the free acid in the reaction with the tetrachlorodioxane, hydrogen chloride which is liberated is preferably sequestered by adding a material to combine with the hydrogen chloride as formed. It is convenient to use pyridine for this purpose. However, in its place other tertiary organic amines may be used, and they may be added in equivalent amount at the beginning of the reaction or gradually during the course of the reaction. Likewise, the amine can be reacted with the diester of the dithiophosphoric acid prior to carrying out the reaction with the tetrachlorodioxane as in Example 1. Amines which can be used include pyridine, tertiary alkylamines such as trimethylamine, tributylamine, triamylamine, dimethylaniline, and the like. Inorganic bases may also be used. These include ammonia, alkali metal hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates, and alkaline earth metal hydroxides and carbonates.

As in the case of organic bases, the inorganic bases may also be used first to form a salt of the ester of the dithiophosphoric acid. When the salt of the ester of dithiophosphoric acid is used as the reactant, it is preferable to use a salt which is soluble in the organic solvent used for the reaction. The organic salts of amines are particularly satisfactory because of the good solubility of these salts in the nonreactive hydrocarbon solvents. When the free acid is reacted with the tetrachlorodioxane, the alkaline material is preferably added gradually as needed but it can be added all at once if desired. Ammonia is suitably added gradually as a gas, the solids are suitably added in finely divided form.

The dithiophosphoric acid ester is produced by reacting the lower aliphatic alcohol, which is to form a part of the ester, with P255, preferably in a nonreactive solvent such as benzene, toluene, xylene, hexane or cyclohexane, and removing the H25 which is liberated. The reaction is carried out at any temperature in the range of 50 to 120 C. selecting the lowest practical temperature without decomposition. If different radicals are desired for the various R radicals, a mixture of alcohols may be used in the production of the dithiophosphoric acid ester. Likewise, dithiophosphoric acid esters produced from different alcohols can be mixed for use in the reaction with the tetrachlorodioxane. The esters of dithiophosphoric acid-used in preparation of the compounds of this invention are thus made from individual alcohols or mixtures of alcohols having 1-4 carbon atoms. Included among such alcohols are methanol, ethanol, propanol-l, and propanol-Z.

The methods by which the products of this invention are isolated will vary slightly with the reactants used and the product produced. In some instances the chloride salt split out in the reaction separates and can be filtered ofi. In other instances the chloride salt is best removed by washing with water. The excess salt of the ester of dithiophosphoric acid is also removed by the water wash. The benzene or other solvent is then removed by distillation leaving an inseeticidally active residue. Further purification by selective solvent extraction or by adsorptive agents such as activated carbon, or clays, can precede the removal of the solvent. Likewise, an organic solvent can be added to aid in the purification by adsorptive agents.

However, the product is generally satisfactory for use as a pesticide without further purification.

The compounds of this invention are used as the sole toxic agent in pesticidal formulations or in admixture with other toxicants for modification of the properties of the individual toxicants. They may be used, for example, in admixture with toxaphene, DDT, Thanite, chlordane, rotenone, pyrethrum and the like in many of the formulations suggested below.

The compounds of this invention are made into pesticidal compositions for use against insects and mites by dilution with an insecticidal adjuvant as a carrier therefor, by dispersing in an organic solvent, or in water, or by diluting with a solid insecticidal adjuvant as a carrier. Dispersions containing a surface-active dispersing agent have the advantage of spreading the toxic substance more effectively over the plant surface. Dispersions in organic solvents include dispersions or solutions in alcohols, pine oil, hydrocarbon solvents, difluorodichloromethane, and similar organic solvents. The compounds of this invention are also used in aerosol formulations in which difluorodichloromethane and similar aerosol propellants form the propellant vehicle.

Aqueous dispersions are made up from the compounds of this invention, a surface-active dispersing agent and water as the essential ingredients. The amount of the compounds of this invention in the aqueous dispersions when diluted for spraying of plants will be in the range of about 10% to about 0.001% of the aqueous dispersion.

The aqueous dispersion will ordinarily be made up from a concentrate, and the concentrate will be dispersed in water to the proper concentration for application to the plants to be treated in the field. The concentrate is composed essentially of the compound of this invention and a surface-active dispersing agent. The concentrate may also contain sufiicient amounts of organic solvents to aid in effective dispersion. The amount of surface-active dispersing agent used is usually at least 5% of the amount of toxic compound in the concentrate.

Suitable surface-active dispersing agents for use in the compositions of this invention are those disclosed in Chemistry of Insecticides, Fungicides, and Herbicides (Donald E. H. Frear, Second Edition (1948), pages 280-287) for use with known insecticides and include neutral soaps of resin, alginic and fatty acids and alkali metals or alkylamines or ammonia, saponins, gelatins, milk, soluble casein, flour and soluble proteins thereof, sulfite lye, lignin pitch, sulfite liquor, long-chain fatty alcohols having 12-18 carbon atoms and alkali metal salts of the sulfates thereof, salts of sulfated fatty acids, salts of sulfonic acids, esters of long-chain fatty acids and polyhydric alcohols in which alcohol groups are free, clays such as fullers earth, China clay, kaolin, Attapulgite, and bentonite and related hydrated aluminum silicates having the property of forming a colloidal gel. Among the other surface-active dispersing agents which are useful in the compositions of this invention are the omega-substituted polyethylene glycols of relatively long-chain length, particularly those in which the omega substituent is aryl, alkyl, or acyl. Compositions of the toxic material and surface-active dispersing agent will, in some instances, have more than one surface-active dispersing agent for a particular type of utility, or in addition to a surface-active dispersing agent, hydrocarbons such as kerosene and mineral oil will also be added as improvers.

Thus, the toxic material may contain a clay as the sole ad-.

juvant or clay and hydrocarbon, or clay and another sur face-active dispersing agent to augment the dispersing action of the clay. Likewise, the toxic material may have water admixed therewith along with the surface-active dispersing agent, sufiicient generally being used to form an emulsion. All of these compositions of toxic material and surface-active dispersing agent may contain in addition synergists and/ or adhesive or sticking agents.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new composition of matter a compound of the formula s P (0 R) or in which each R represents an alkyl radical have 1-4 carbon atoms.

2. As a new composition of matter a compound of the formula SP (0 R 01 in which each R represents a ditferent alkyl radical having 1-4 carbon atoms.

3. As a new composition of matter a compound of the formula 4. As a new composition of matter a compound of the formula 5. As a new composition of matter a compound of the formula j smoczlim O1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,158,019 Clifiord May 9, 1939 2,456,316 Prill Dec. 14, 1948 2,485,600 Hedenburg Oct. 25, 1949 2,485,681 Wachs Oct. 25, 1949 2,523,233 Prill Sept. 19, 1950 2,725,328 Diveley Nov. 29, 1955 2,725,331 Haubein Nov. 29, 1955 

1. AS A NEW COMPOSITION OF MATTER A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 